VIRGINIA BEACH — U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria defeated former U.S. Rep. Scott Taylor, her predecessor who became challenger in trying to win back the seat, for the second time in the Virginia Second Congressional District, according to unofficial returns reported by state election officials.
Luria first defeated Taylor two years ago during a “blue wave” that altered power in the House of Representatives. This year, she won 51.6 percent of the vote while Taylor won 45.8 percent, according to unofficial returns reported as of Wednesday, Nov. 11, by state elections officials. An independent candidate in the race, David Foster, won nearly 2.6 percent of the vote, unofficial returns show.
Luria won 51.8 percent of the vote in Virginia Beach, which contains the majority of district precincts.
“It is truly my honor and my privilege to stand here again as your representative for my second term for the Second Congressional District,” Luria said during remarks released via social media on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
She thanked supporters, family and her team, and she vowed to continue working for military service members and their families on the House Armed Services and Veterans Affairs committees. She also said she will work for her constituents during the recovery from the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic.
“We have a lot of work to do to help continue to get the virus under control – to help testing, tracing, tracking and then development and distribution of a safe vaccine,” Luria said.
Taylor, too, thanked family, supporters and his campaign team in a statement.
“Congratulations to Congresswoman Luria,” he wrote. “Let us all hope that she is successful in her next two years as our representative in Washington.”
Late on Election Day, Taylor appeared to be in the lead among votes counted to that point, but early vote totals that were recorded overnight shifted the standings significantly in an unusual election year that saw a large portion of the electorate vote early.
On Wednesday, Nov. 4, Taylor closed his statement with a reflection on the divisions among Americans. “There is currently a division in our nation that seems unbearable to many, but throughout our short American history, we have struggled through turmoil before,” he wrote. “Over time, I believe that the push and pull of democracy within our great, flexible republic strengthens the fabric of our society and keeps us heading in the direction of that ever elusive, more perfect union.”
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